Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution. I just get to play with their emotions and then hand them back as hollow little wrecks that have serious mental instabilities.

Part V

When morning came Scott came downstairs to find Rogue curled up on the sofa with her head resting on Gambit's shoulder. Raising an eyebrow he noticed that the French male wasn't sleeping, but watching the untouchable girl sleeping beside him.

"Um, Gambit?" Red eyes looked up at Scott, not showing a hint of embarrassment or nerves. "What's going on?"

"The petit fall asleep during Resident Evil. Gambit not have de heart to wake her." Scott nodded his head once, leaving the two in the living room while he headed for the kitchen. It was strange seeing Rogue so comfortable with another person. She was even sleeping on him, with his arm around her shoulder! Scott sighed, shaking his head. Maybe he should have a word with Gambit, or get Logan to do it. Hell, the Wolverine was slightly more intimidating than he was.

"In your own little word there?" Scott snapped out of his thoughts, seeing Logan standing beside the freezer. "What's on your mind?"

"Gambit and Rogue." Scott said, before he could even stop himself. Logan closed the freezer door, sighing. Had he seen them this morning too? Was Gambit asleep when he had seen them?

"I gotta say, I'm a little concerned about those two as well. Stripes is getting a little close to him." Scott raised an eyebrow.

"You don't trust Gambit?" That wasn't the issue with Scott. After almost going back to the Acolytes so that Zaire wouldn't be hurt, Scott wasn't thinking that it was some scheme. Scott was more concerned about Gambit's presence in the Institute causing harm to the other students here.

"I don't know yet." Logan answered slowly. "There's something he's not telling us. That leaves enough room for him to be lying about something." Scott shrugged; he hadn't noticed a drastic change in Gambit's behaviour. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary except for that fact that he was on the other side now. "Don't you let it concern you though, I'll deal with things." Scott let Logan leave the kitchen and heard the sound of others arriving. Kitty's giggling and Kurt's whispering informed him that Rogue and Gambit were still in the living room. Was something happening between those two? Could anything really happen?

- - -

"Are you sure, Chuck?" Logan stood with Charles in the small study on the second level in the Institute. After revealing his concern over Rogue and Gambit's progressing relationship, Logan had been given some startling news from Charles.

"I'm afraid so. Last night I awoke from a dream, a nightmare to be exact. Only, this wasn't my nightmare. It has been a long time since one of the students nightmares have worked their way into my consciousness. I shouldn't be surprised, as I do not really have any barriers from Gambit's mind just yet. Although he seems to be able to keep me out while he is conscious and alert, his subconscious is not in as much control." Charles said, looking out over the gardens of the grounds, the roses blooming and the birds taking their first flight of the day.

"So, the Cajun has been abused more than Zaire first thought?" Logan ventured. Charles hadn't given him full details on Gambit's nightmare, but it was enough to know that there was something troubling the red eyed male.

"He is afraid of sleep. From what I can tell he has managed to block out everything that has happened to him while he is awake. But sleep causes him to remember things." Charles appeared to be talking more to himself than to Logan.

"He was up last night. It was the back of one when I found him and Rogue in the kitchen. They were still in the living room this morning." Logan supplied, remembering his surprise at finding Rogue sleeping on the Cajun and the Cajun resting his head on Rogue's. That wasn't something he had expected first thing in the morning, Stripe's hardly ever trusted anyone enough to make herself vulnerable to them.

"I think that Rogue and Gambit may be able to help one another." Charles said, a small knowing smile on his lips. "There are wounds that only understanding can heal. They understand one another more than others would know." Logan sighed.

"If you say so," he turned to leave Charles to himself, "but I got a feeling about that boy. And it's not a good one." With that Logan left the room, watching the students run around to get ready for school. Rogue ran down the stairs in front of him, pulling her gloves over her hands as Kitty called out to her.

"Come on Rogue, like, Jean will be leaving in a second." The half-pint handed Rogue her backpack and the pair ran off together, hoping to catch Jean and their ride to school. Logan stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched them all leave; it was like every other day.

"Opps, watch out Logan." He turned in time to avoid Zaire hitting him with the red box she had in hand, heading down towards the Gambit's room. It seemed it was time for a change of bandages. Logan sighed, heading along to the danger room. He needed to do some training.

- - -

"Hold still, ya know this would be easier if ya just let me take the thing off." Zaire complained, kneeling in front of Remy, who was sitting on the bed, clad only in his too large sweat pants. "Okay, there. See, it's not like I was removing your liver or nothing."

"Chere, wit you Remy no know what to expect." He told her, frowning at the discarded bandage that was just removed from his torso.

"What ya talking 'bout?" Remy raised an eyebrow at her, indicating to her outfit. "Oh, yeah, that." A sheepish smile crossed her lips. It was true that this would be a stun to Remy, all he had seen her in before was beige shorts and a cream t-shirt, varying shade and styles, but that had been all she wore. Today however she was wearing a pair of light pink crops and a tank top with a blue butterfly on it. "I just kinda roll with my mood." Remy nodded.

"You just give Remy a slightly different outlook on you." He told her, inspecting her work on his wrist as the cast was cut off and the newly healed arm was shown. "It wasn't broken then?" Remy asked, knowing that the healing had been too fast for a broken bone.

"No, I had a look over the x-rays, what I thought was a break was just a sprain. The way ya had broke it previously just made the bone look broken. Sorry if the cast annoyed ya." Remy shook his head.

"Is everyone out today?" He asked while Zaire put a new bandage around his wrist for support. Remy clenched his fingers when she was finished, glad that they moved without too much pain.

"I think it's just Logan and the Professor that's going to be around today. Ororo is going to see a friend of hers, and Hank is taking me to meet a doctor friend of his." She told him, closing up her first aid box. "Why?"

"I need to go somewhere today." He said, Zaire picked up the lack of 3rd person when he spoke. "Don't suppose they'd let me just leave for a few hours?" Zaire smiled.

"No, they wouldn't. No one knows if Sabertooth is still crowding around or what. It's safer for ya to be with Logan or someone. Can't it wait? I know that Rogue and I wouldn't mind heading out with ya. And Kitty and Kurt would he happy to join us." Remy shook his head.

"Can't wait. And Remy t'ink it be better if fewer people know of dis." Zaire frowned.

"What's on your mind, Cajun?" She was worried, if he didn't want others to know, if he didn't want Rogue to know, then maybe this was something to do with his abuse.

"Chere," he looked away from her, "you be the one who examined me, oui?" Zaire nodded her head, making a noise of agreement. "You not wonder why Remy had claw marks on his hips?" His eyes met hers and after a moment of silence, Remy's eyes showing untold stories of pain, she finally understood what it was.

"Oh God." A hand covered her mouth, her eyes widened in shock. "He…oh, Remy." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. She didn't expect him to return it, but his hands rested on her back, holding her close to him. He sighed against her, and relaxed in the friendly embrace. "I'm so sorry."

"It not be your fault, you not know chere." Remy breathed against her, his head resting on her shoulder.

"I'll see if Logan is doing anything. He'll take ya into town I'm sure." She told him, pulling back and running a hand down his healed face. "Ya didn't deserve any of this, sugar." Remy took her hand in his and smiled against her palm. "I'll let ya get dressed." She said, leaving the room for Gambit to change his trousers and top.

- - -

Logan left the danger room after a telepathic call from Charles. When Logan entered the same room he had been in earlier that same morning he saw Zaire sitting on a table, her legs swinging in time with one another, while Charles sat in front of her, talking about this Doctor Connor she was meeting that morning with Hank.

"Okay, what's wrong now?" Logan asked, his arms crossed over his chest. Charles turned when Logan asked this.

"Ah, Logan, I was wondering if you were busy this morning?" Logan raised and eyebrow, Charles knew he had nothing to do.

"Not really. Why?"

"Remy needs a lift into town. The Professor thinks it's better if someone's with him. Ya're kinda the best candidate for the job since no one else is really gonna be here." Zaire said, smiling wildly, leaning forward on the table. Logan rolled his eyes. That girl was nuts; she was a cross between Bobby, Kitty and Evan, which was scary sometimes.

"Why? Where's he need to go that's so important?" Logan wondered, couldn't it wait till after the others were back from school? Scott could go with him or something.

"Nope. So, ya going be babysitting today." Zaire said, looking at her watch. "Well, I have ta get going." She jumped from the table, her flip-flops making a slapping sound against the wooden floor. "Have fun." She said with a wink, walking past Logan. He watched her leave with a raised eyebrow. Yep, she was nuts.

"Chuck, you sure it's safe to have her here?" He asked, half in joke and half in all seriousness. Logan closed over the door.

"So, what is it the Cajun needs to do so drastically that it can't wait?" Logan asked, not at all happy with the situation.

"Zaire asked me if I would be agreeable to Remy leaving the mansion for the morning. She expressed concern over his welfare if he went alone and asked if you would be willing to accompany him." Charles said, a small smile on his lips. He was teasing, Logan could tell. Growling low in his throat he relented.

"Fine, I'll take him in." Logan muttered, leaving the room. "When did I get so soft?" He asked himself. Between caring too much about Stripe's and Half-pint getting too close to Gambit and Avalanche, now there was Zaire? This was too much. "Damn kids."

- - -

Logan had been driving the jeep for nearly ten minutes; he still didn't know where it was Remy wanted to go. The French man didn't really want to let the other male know. This was a bad idea. Logan sighed; the silence was starting to get on his nerves now.

"Listen, if I don't know where it is I'm taking you, I'll turning around and leaving you out here to walk." Logan threatened, knowing full well he wouldn't because he would never hear the end of it back at the mansion.

"Dat might be better." Gambit replied quietly. He hadn't stopped staring out the window since the jeep started moving. Logan looked at the uncharacteristically reserved mutant, finding at spot further down the road to pull over. Gambit was about to get out when Logan stopped him, a hand on his elbow.

"Okay, gumbo, Zaire some how managed to land me with this, so you're gonna tell me where exactly I'm taking you. When we get there you're going to go do whatever you have to, I'll wait out in the jeep. Then you come back, we go to the store and buy more beer and then go home. You got that?" Gambit stared at him like he'd lost him mind, completely. He gave an exaggerated sigh before sitting back in the vehicle.

"I'm going to the sexual clinic on the street next to de health centre." Gambit said, completely foregoing the 3rd person this time. Logan frowned, not only had he never thought about the possibilities of taking Gambit there but he hadn't heard the Cajun say 'I' in a sentence either. "Got monthly check ups der, just in case." The last few words were whispered and Logan felt a sense of guilt. Clearly this was something that Gambit hadn't really wanted people to know. And Logan could see why, it wasn't exactly knowledge that he wanted.

"Okay," he started, hesitating on what to say next, "I… I'm sorry." Gambit shrugged, slouching in the seat. Logan restarted the engine, heading back into the town, grateful for the silence this time.

- - -

Remy walked out of the clinic slowly, heading down the stairs and along to where the Wolverine had said he would wait. Every time, each month one after the other, Remy would steal himself for the check ups, build up the emotional barriers so that nothing could really get through and then he'd set off. But for some strange reason, this time it had been different. The barriers didn't work; he was depressed thoroughly before heading in and for some reason elated when he left. He usually kept himself devoid of any emotion or reaction when the time came for the blood tests. He suddenly stopped, a few yards short of Logan's jeep, realising what it was that was different.

This could be the last time. This could be the end of all these stupid needles because of Sabertooth, because who knew where that creature went before or after his 'sessions' at the Acolytes base. Sighing, Remy went the last few steps to the jeep and climbed in the passenger side.

"Well?" The man, formerly known as Weapon X, sat in the drivers seat, chair reclined, eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest.

"They call in a few days. Usually take about a week before word come." Remy said, trying to avoid letting anything seep into his voice. He didn't need to break down, especially not here, in public with the Wolverine.

"Right," the elder male sat up, turning the key in the ignition. "Now to get some beer." Remy allowed a small laugh, bitter and resentful, while Logan began driving towards the Wal-Mart store. Supposedly, shopping for booze and other household items would add some normalcy to this little outing. Surprisingly enough, Logan was taking the same approach that John had taken the one time he had gone with Remy. That time the Cajun had been unable to drive due to a broken hand and possible concussion. After the clinic the Aussie had insisted that the kitchen in the base needed restocked, even though the large grey monstrosity was almost bursting with food and drink. It had amused Remy afterwards, but not at the time, just like now. He was still too dazed; it was always the same, no matter how many times he had been there it never seemed real.

Logan stopped the jeep outside the large superstore. He just watched the Cajun for a moment, before shaking his head and leaving the jeep. Remy just sat there, waiting for Logan to get his beer and get back, his head resting against the dashboard. Maybe the day would just fade away. It had worked once or twice before, when Remy allowed his mind to just shut down, nothing getting through to him or leaving him. Just unconsciousness.

"Remy?" Then again maybe not. Gambit looked up at the surprised uttering of his name, this wasn't the Wolverine as he would never call him by his name and didn't have a soft, smooth southern belle accent. "Why are you out here, alone?" Rogue stared at him, eyebrow raised, hands on hips. She looked…cute.

"Remy waiting for Logan. He's getting de beer." Gambit told her, his voice monotone. She didn't seem convinced at first, before she just shrugged and climbed into the back of the jeep.

"Ah guess ah can just hitch a ride back home then." She tossed her back on the seat next to her, looking at Remy with a strange expression. "Is he making you pay then?" The words didn't register with the Cajun for a moment, until he recalled the discussion last night.

"Didn't take money from me." He muttered, his mood seriously deflated, and not even Rogue seemed to be able to help lift it.

"Are ya alright?" She asked, a hand on his shoulder gently. Remy smiled slightly, the motion not reaching his eyes and the goth behind him noticed this. He nodded his head and sighed.

"Will be." In about a week. In a week he would know if he would be fine, and it would probably – hopefully – be the last time he had to worry if he'd be okay in this manner again.

- - -

AN: Man have I been a terrible updater!

I am so very sorry about that. A few personal crisis's and a trip to Summer school kind threw me off kilter...but I'm hopefully back to update much more regularly as I can feel my plot really kicking in here.

Lots more angst, lots more Remy/Rogue, Pyro comes into play and...bum bum bum..more Sabertooth being nasty.

Review and I'll update, update and you'll review, right?